Weedy Seadragon
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ID#4
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Classification: fish
Endangered Status: near threatened Habitat: rocky reefs, seaweed beds, sea grass meadows, and kelp gardens at depths of 3m to 50m The Weedy Seadragon has many weed-like appendages, which, along with its coloration, make it near impossible to locate within its habitat. This is also where the Weedy Seadragon got its name. They are usually around 30cm long, but they have been known to grow up to 46cm. They do not have teeth; instead, they feed by sucking. The Common Seadragon is most active during the daytime. They are not excellent swimmers, which is surprising, especially since they are fish and live in water. They usually end up drifting with the current, which is the reason that they are frequently sighted stranded on beaches. They prefer to swim alone or in pairs, not in groups. They eat Mysids or other small crustaceans. The Weedy Seadragon's mating season is early summer. They only breed once per year, but they can produce up to 250 offspring per brood. The male seadragon will signal that it is ready to receive the eggs by wrinkling its tail. The female seadragon will lay the eggs on a brood patch near the male seadragon's tail, where the eggs are fertilized and carried until they hatch after about 8 weeks. The brood patch is made up of cups blood-rich tissue. Each cup can hold one egg. After the eggs hatch, the young seadragons spend several days in the yolk sac of the egg, where they grow. Only about 60 to 120 young seadragons survive. The Common Seadragon is a very interesting and unique animal. Although it lives in the water, it is not a good swimmer. They frequently become stranded on islands. They live about 10 years, and they begin breeding once they are 2 years old. They have no known predators, and they are extremely hard to spot in their native habitats. Their excellent camouflage comes from their coloration and their many weed or leaf-like appendages. |